Kandeh Yumkella

Immediate Past Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General & Chief Executive for the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Initiative & Under-Secretary- General in the United Nations.

As Special Representative, Mr. Yumkella sought to mobilize action toward a sustainable energy future and accelerate the implementation of the Secretary-General’s initiative as well as engaging with the leadership of relevant stakeholders in government, businesses, academia and civil society at the highest level to advocate for and promote sustainable energy for all.

Prior to his appointment as Special Representative and Chief Executive, Mr. Yumkella was appointed Co-Chair of the High-level Group on Sustainable Energy for All by United Nations Secretary General in recognition of his leadership and passion for energy and environment-related causes following a decision by the United Nations General Assembly to designate 2012 as the International Year for Sustainable Energy for All. In this position, he was instrumental in guiding the initiative and in underscoring the need for universal access to energy, increased energy efficiency and enhanced deployment of renewable sources of energy.

Energy efficiency is an important component of Southern Company’s full portfolio of resources and I look forward to collaborating with fellow industry leaders to promote energy efficiency through innovation.